


Shelfish Friendship

by aviva_aviva



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-04-08 19:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4317225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aviva_aviva/pseuds/aviva_aviva
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebasian remembers what a fellow solder once told him about being liked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shelfish Friendship

Jim looked up from his notes, looking at Sebastian. His eyes were clear and his face expectant.

Sebastian just shuddered. "I just remember what an old friend once said."

Sebastian took a sip from his cup, trying to hide his smile. It was unusual for Jim to be that interested in something. He put the cup down and leaned forward.

"I once asked them why people are always loyal to him. It is what he said:"

"The first thing to realize is, that everybody is selfish. Every act we take, every relation we form, are ultimately selfish. I know, it is a strange sentence to say. Especially coming from me, a doctor who always runs into danger. But that does not make it any less true. But the reason why most people don't realize that is because, they have too narrow definition in what people can gain from one another."

"Money. Power. Fame. Company. Excitement. Challenge. Support. Integrity. Security. Leadership. Peace of mind. Knowledge. Feelings. Social currency. I have probably forgotten countless more."

"Let us take my job as a doctor. I heal because it makes me feel better about myself. I help people, so I must be a good person. And before you say something, I know I lack some self-esteem. I also feel excitement, when I am right about the diagnosis. The mental challenge that was solved successfully. I like seeing the looking on my patients face, when they are healed. The happinesses, the gratitude, the joy of life. Among other things."

"You asked my why people are so loyal to me, right? Because based on only formal authority, they should have listened to you instead of me. But there is a difference between us."

"I simply try to give each of them what they want. Sometimes they don't even know themselves that they want it, which makes this job that much harder. But I though myself how to recognize the signs. I simply realized that they are more likely to give me what I want, if they first get what they want. It is a mutually beneficial trade, but it is not formalized. People still want to cling to the notion that the relationships are something holy."

"That is also a reason why I am so good at it. People are simply not aware of why they act the way they do. I don't depend on imaginative stories of authority to gain their loyalty. But they are still following the rules. And that is why, they will always listen to me over you."

"Seems like a smart guy." Moriarty noted. "I should recruit them."

Sebastian laughed. "He would have said that working for him would hurt his integrity more than help him." He paused, thinking at himself. Should he say it? "Plus, what would Sherlock said, if you bewitched his blogger?"

Moriarty's mouth was open and he was staring at Sebastian. It was worth it.


End file.
